Flexible plpe-joint



(No Model.)

M. WALKER.

FLEXIBLE PIPE JOINT.

PatentQd APr. 3;1883

ATEZNT' llllUlAH F-UXLKER, OF PORT HURQN, MlCHlGAN.

FLEXEQLE PiFlE JfEiNT,

SPEGIFICATIDH forming part of Letters li s'ten'b "No. 275,098, dated April 3, issue Application filed Novernber 20, 1882. No model.)

and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact rlosorigiiou thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

of which n 'more-or less risk that the The nature of this invention relates to oertein new and useful improvements in the construciion and operation of pipe-joints,by means 12o may he more easily and perfectly lsid across streams. or swampy places, Whereitis difficult to lay the pipe in plane with rigid joints. For instsncinin the const-ructioc. of water-works in a town that is iii video by :3, river, where it becomes necessary to lay the water-pipe across the bed of the stream, which is generally lower'at the center or in mid-channel than nearer the banks, in has been usuol'to secure the pipes together in a sufficient number of lengths to cross the stream, such lengths being secured together by rigid joints when the pipe is laid across the stream, with its two ends resting upon the opposite hanks, afier which the ends are undermined, 311i: is this way dropped below the frost-line and into or near tho bed of the stream. This is always accompanied by joints would become loosened, so as to leak; v

The object of the presenig'invcntion is to provide a method of coupling the joints so that the couplingsglill not somewhat in the manner of what is known in mechanics as aballjoint.

Figure 1 is e longitudinal central section through the center of one of my improved couplings. Fig. 2 is a. similar section, taken at right angles to the one in Fig. 1.

in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this spcoification, A and B each represent one-half of the pipe-coupling, the inner ends ofenoh terminating in afiange, O, theinner fees of each flange being spheroidal in shape, .2

equal to the bore of the main parts oi the coupling; Surrounding this bull-joint is whatmay be termed an equeiorial ring centrally situated between the poles, and the object oi this ring is that as the onlhjoinn is insertel, the one pole into the one port A of the coupling and the other into the opposite-mart; B, the joints eon only he turned. eglittle we in either direction, while without the equoto rial ring there wouhifhe a] sensibility of the ball "so turning in the joint-us in obstruct the flow through the-coupling", Projectingfrom this ring noon the opposite sides are the urine E, the ends of which enter stirrups F, there being'two s'rii'rups on each oi the arms, running'in; opposite iireetious through suitable holes in the flanges (J, and the shafts of such stirrups, being threarlerl, scoured in place by suitable nuts, I), upon their ends outside of the flanges. This construction provides a flesh his joint which may be readily, lowered to place in the beds of streams, and which may be rendered rigid in any iiesireii position after having been laid in place, if desired, by means of bolts G, two or more passing through both flanges. When these holis ere inserted and the couplings are upon an angle to enchothei the nuts upon the bolts would sin-nil at a, ooze responding angle to the outer feces of the flanges, whereby a very unworkmanliko pre sentation would be had. To uvoidthis the hole hcle s'h're countersunk from the outside, and

washers c, with convexfaces, which enter the.

countersunk holes,adapt themselves, upon the principle of the ball-joint, to the angle or inclination, so that the nut, when screwed up against the washer, will present a fair and square surface to the some, as shown in the drawings.

I am aware that flexible pipe-jointsof various kiutis are known and havebcen patented;

therefore I do not broadly claim a flexible pipejoint; but

' Whet I claim, and desire to secure by Lettors Patent, is- A,

1. The combination ofithotwo abutting ends pipes with e centrally-apertured hall hayg -an equatorial flange and menus for securingthe two ends of pipes together, substantinlly as described.

2 I I 275,0os

2. The ooanbinatiomioapi peooupling,ofa 4. A flexible pi pe j oint (iousisi'iug of the spherjcai QGDtIDJUy-EQBTCUXQQ bail having two parts of the coupling the centrally-bored dial arms and equatorial flanges, with thestir- I spherical ball, its arms and stirrups, t-he pa'rtsw flips secured to tho flanges of tho coupling [being oonstructefi, combined, and operating. 5 and the said arms, aubstantially'as and for substantiallyas and f01'th8f3m868 set forth.

' thelputposes specified.

' 3, In a, flexible pipe joint; in, combination I MIGIAH with thetwo pans of the coupling, each part being provided with a soft meml circular seat, Witnesses:

1-0 the hollow ball substaubiaily as and for the SGUL-LI 9 o I l 1 ,ALKE'R.

purposes desribed. ,6: 2 

